With the development of mobile communication technologies, an electronic device is able to freely connect to a wired and/or wireless network while being carried by a user. For example, a portable electronic device, such as a smartphone or a tablet personal computer (PC), is equipped with an antenna for transmitting and receiving a wireless signal, thus connecting with a wireless communication network.
The antenna is classified as an external antenna or an internal antenna, based on a position where the antenna is mounted on the portable electronic device.
The external antenna may be an antenna such as a helical antenna, a road antenna, or a dipole antenna. The external antenna protrudes to the outside of the portable electronic device.
For this reason, the external antenna has a non-directional radiation characteristic. However, the probability that the external antenna may be damaged by an external impact is high. Further, the external antenna causes an inconvenience when carrying the portable electronic device. In addition, it is difficult to design the appearance of a terminal with high aesthetics. As such, today, the internal antenna that is mounted in an interior of the portable electronic device is widely used instead of the external antenna.
The internal antenna is an antenna that is mounted in an interior of a terminal without protruding toward the outside thereof. The portable electronic device uses, for example, an internal antenna having a planar structure such as a microstrip patch antenna or a planar inverted F antenna (PIFA). The internal antenna includes a carrier formed with an insulating material. An antenna radiator that transmits and receives a wireless signal in a specific frequency band is formed on a surface of the carrier.
An antenna radiator that is applied to the internal antenna may be formed, for example, with a flexible printed circuit (FPC), by laser direct structuring (LDS), or with a direct printed antenna (DPA).
In the case where the antenna radiator is formed with the FPC, however, it is difficult to implement the antenna radiator on a three-dimensional curved area. In addition, in the case where a cover covering the antenna radiator is removed, the antenna radiator may be damaged easily. In the case where the antenna radiator is formed by the LDS, there is a limit to coat LDS resin thereon due to a characteristic of the LDS resin. For example, even though a material is coated on the resin, many limitations due to LDS painting solution are present. In addition, in the case where the antenna radiator is formed with the DPA, a press fit pin (or an insert pin) is used to connect an antenna radiator formed on inner and outer surfaces of the carrier. The press fit pin causes a stepped portion on a carrier surface due to a contact with an internal coupling member.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.